The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of cupping therapy on serum lipid profile concentration and correlated to some trace elements (Cu, Zn, and Mn). Thirty one men (35 to 55 years old), with hyperlipidemia and without antihyperlipidemic drug or high energy diet consumption for the duration of the study were subjected to cupping. The serum for total cholesterol, triglyceride, lipoprotein (HDL, LDL) and trace elements concentration was collected from brachial veins, and determined before cupping and then once a week for two weeks after cupping. Patients with hyperlipidemia who subjected for cupping show a significantly decrease (p≤0.05) in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and LDL/HDL ratio by comparison before cupping, while there were no significant differences in serum HDL cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. Zn concentration and Cu/Zn ratio show a highly significant difference (p<0.001) after cupping and also showed a significant correlation with serum lipids profile after cupping, especially zinc metal.

The research included biochemical studies on synovial fluid (SF) samples collected from (48) RA patients. Moreover, blood samples from (158) RA patients and (196) healthy as control were collected. These patients were divided according to disease activity score-28 (DAS-28) into two groups which comprise severe and moderate. Physical and chemical analysis of SF revealed of the presence of more than 1 ml, yellow green to gray color, cloudy to opaque, low viscosity, with large fat droplets, bloody fluid, low pH degree, low glucose level, high total protein and albumin levels. The results revealed that all RA patients had a positive rheumatoid factor (RF+) and the concentration of C-reactive protein (CRP) was found to be (36.73 ± 14.397 and 54.27 ± 17.856) mg/l in serum and SF respectively. Also, the level of Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) was found to be (54.85 ± 22.903) mm/hr. Additionally, there were low significant levels of hyaluronidase (Hylase) activity in SF when compared with the serum of RA patients. Also, there was a highly significant increase in levels of Hylase, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the serum of RA patients when compared with the serum of healthy control. Moreover, there were highly significant levels of CRP, ESR, Hylase, ALP and LDH in the serum of RA patients with severe when compared with a moderate. Also there were highly significant levels of CRP, ESR and ALP in the SF of RA patients with severe when compared with a moderate.

This research was concerned with the measurement of latent matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) activity in serum and synovial fluid (SF) of rheumatoid arthritis patients, and evaluation the effect of some factors like gender, age, geographical place and smoking on the enzyme activity. The study included (158) patients (132 female, 26 male) aged from (19-83) year, attending the rheumatology clinic at Ibn Sina teaching hospital in Nineveh Governorate. Sixty healthy volunteers of matched age and gender were utilized as control. The results showed that the activity of enzyme was significantly different between the SF and the serum of patients with RA (586.85 ± 40.89 ng/ml, vs. 249.45 ± 61.11 ng/ml; P< 0001) respectively, and between serum of RA patients and serum of control (249.45 ± 61.11 ng/ml, vs. 125.46± 54.88; P< 001) respectively. The results indicated that the number of rheumatoid arthritis females were more than males by (5) times and it is most common after the age between 40 th and 50 th years. Moreover, the results showed that the number of patients who live in urban places is higher than that in rural places. The study, also, showed that the enzyme activity was significantly increased among smoker patients. Finally the results showed that there was no significant effect of age, gender and geographic place on the enzyme activity.

This study included the isolation of the enzyme Matrix Metalloprotrinase-1 (MMP-1; Collagenase-1) from serum of healthy individual and synovial fluid (SF) of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis using different techniques. After precipitation of proteins using saturated ammonium sulfate, two porteinous components had been isolated by gel filtration chromatography. It was found that only the first peak has high activity of latent-MMP-1. The apparent molecular weights of MMP-1 in serum and SF using gel filtration chromatography was found to be (47752 ± 816 and 48194 ± 707) dalton respectively. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to show the extent of purity. The main maximum of the enzyme from serum and SF appeared at retention times (1.652 and 1.65) minutes respectively compared with the retention time of standard enzyme at (1.571) minutes. The approximate molecular weight of latent-MMP-1 by HPLC technique, in serum and SF were found (48067 and 48033) dalton respectively. The study included, also, the effect of some material compounds on the activity of latent-MMP-1. The results revealed that the addition of ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA), 2,4-dinitrophenol, sodium azide, potassium oxalate, mercaptoethanol (MEH), glutathione (GSH), cystein and healthy human serum decreased the activity of latent-MMP-1, while the addition of NaCl, MgSO 4 , CoCl 2 , CaCl 2 , CuSO 4 , ZnSO 4 , HgCl 2 and pepsin increases the activity of enzyme.

The research included isolation and purification of Trypsin from serum of patient with pancreatic cancer, and estimation its molecular weight by using the two techniques of gel filtration (using sephadex G-50) and electrophoresis (using SDS). Therefore; it was noted that the proteinous peak  isolated from ammonium sulfate solution is saturated (65%) of the serum by using the two techniques gel filtration and electrophoresis had apparent molecular weight (27000) Dalton. The study included (40) patients with pancreas cancer their ages ranged between (30-70) years who attended Al-Jumhuri and Atomic Medicine Hospitals in Mosul; the laboratory examination included estimation levels of: Trypsin, Gamma Glutamyl transferase, Amylase, Paraoxonase  ,Glutathione, Sialic acid and Ceruloplasmin. Results showed that level of Trypsin and Amylase in the serum decreased significantly in  patients with pancreatic cancer in comparison with the control group, but levels of Gamma Glutamyl transferase, paraoxonase, Glutathione, Sialic acid and Ceruloplasmin increased significantly in patients with pancreatic cancer in comparison with the control group.